The inspection of single flue industrial chimneys is regulated by the HSE document GS53 and the ATLAS guidance booklet that builds upon the HSE document GS53.
The self supporting single flue steel chimney has commonly been used for a period in excess of 35 years during which time many have seen a change over from serving coal to oil through to the modern day gas fired boilers. This change over in fuels has left its own legacy creating very corrosive environments, this coupled with the effects of the UK climate has led to a large number of this type of structures ultimately failing, hence the HSE Guidance Note GS 53 was published in 2001.
For multi flue industrial steel chimneys the inspection guidance issued for single flue steel chimneys does not apply, the inspection of a steel multi flue chimney i.e where the waste gases do not come into direct contact with the main supporting structure, is covered in Appendix A of BS 4076 :1989.
At present there is currently no inspection guidance for concrete or brick chimneys, however due to the harsh environments and processes related to their use it is prudent to regularly inspect concrete and brick chimneys to ensure they remain in a serviceable condition.
A chimney inspector must be able to prove competency and experience with a minimum preference of being industry qualified via the NVQ route.
Showing posts with label maintenance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maintenance. Show all posts
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Friday, 3 July 2009
Concrete Chimney Demolition
The removal of 3no 60m steel flues from within the reinforced concrete windshield at the old Roche site in Welwyn Garden City was safely completed with the use of a 300 ton mobile crane.
The 3no flues were removed to facilitate the felling of the concrete windshield which was dismantled in a piece meal small fashion with all dismantled concrete falling to ground inside the chimney for retrieval at the base.
Churchills used their in-house crane capabilities utilising Crane Appointed persons and Competent Slinger banksman to complete this phase of the job
The demolition of the concrete windshield started week commencing 15th June using Churchills specialist demolition rig and concrete cutting methodology which has been employed to demolish 2975m of reinforced concrete chimneys with wall thicknesses ranging from 150mm to 400mm
The 60m reinforced concrete chimney at the old Roche site in Welywn Garden City was reduced by 40m in only 20 days, the base 20m will be demolished using a high reach machine.
The reinforced concrete wall with an average thickness of 200mm was demolished with total efficiency using Churchills tried and test concrete cutting methodology.
Photographs depicting the chimney prior to the installation of our demolition rig are shown below.
To view a list of similar contracts completed by Churchills please visit our web site and go to our Demolition & Dismantling page and click on the PDF download.
Friday, 1 May 2009
Churchills Accreditation
A total of ten Churchill Steeplejacks operatives have successfully achieved the SSSTS accreditation for site supervision.
This level of commitment to training will ensure that all Churchill sites will have the construction industry requirement in relation to on site supervision. Add to this the following minimum requirement for a Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd site based team and our clients have arguably one the most highly trained and qualified workforces at their disposal;
The following are all managed by a team consisting of two NEBOSH in construction departmental managers
SSSTS
CSCS Industry Gold Card
CCNSG Passport to Safety
Quarry Passport
NVQ Level 2 Steeplejack/Lightning Protection Engineers
NVQ Level 3 Advanced Steeplejack
IPAF
Confined Space Working
NDT Dye Penetrant Testing
Abrasive Wheels
Mobile Towers
Safety Harness Inspection
PAT Testing
LOLER Equipment Testing
Appointed Person
Asbestos Awareness
Rescue & Recovery at Height
Slinger/Banksman
First Aid
Safe Earth Testing
Safe Road Digging
This level of commitment to training will ensure that all Churchill sites will have the construction industry requirement in relation to on site supervision. Add to this the following minimum requirement for a Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd site based team and our clients have arguably one the most highly trained and qualified workforces at their disposal;
The following are all managed by a team consisting of two NEBOSH in construction departmental managers
SSSTS
CSCS Industry Gold Card
CCNSG Passport to Safety
Quarry Passport
NVQ Level 2 Steeplejack/Lightning Protection Engineers
NVQ Level 3 Advanced Steeplejack
IPAF
Confined Space Working
NDT Dye Penetrant Testing
Abrasive Wheels
Mobile Towers
Safety Harness Inspection
PAT Testing
LOLER Equipment Testing
Appointed Person
Asbestos Awareness
Rescue & Recovery at Height
Slinger/Banksman
First Aid
Safe Earth Testing
Safe Road Digging
Monday, 20 April 2009
Concrete Chimney Refurbishment
A 60k project to refurbish 2no 45m reinforced concrete chimneys at The University of East Anglia has been completed within program and within budget by Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd
The project was completed over a twelve week period with a three man team in attendance and included the replacement and repair of the capping arrangements, concrete repairs to each windshield, lightning protection upgrade and the application of a protective paint system.
A steel support framework was also installed around the summit of both chimneys to provide structural support to the upper regions of each windshield.
The cold weather conditions experienced during January and February 2009 delayed the application of the paint product which required temperatures of 5 degrees and rising, following the completion of the contract the chimney windshields will remain free of maintenance for at least the next seven year period.
The project was completed over a twelve week period with a three man team in attendance and included the replacement and repair of the capping arrangements, concrete repairs to each windshield, lightning protection upgrade and the application of a protective paint system.
A steel support framework was also installed around the summit of both chimneys to provide structural support to the upper regions of each windshield.
The cold weather conditions experienced during January and February 2009 delayed the application of the paint product which required temperatures of 5 degrees and rising, following the completion of the contract the chimney windshields will remain free of maintenance for at least the next seven year period.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Steel Chimney Emergency Callout
A steel chimney located at Eastwood Comprehensive School in Nottinghamshire fell victim of the strong winds that hit the county during the earlier hours 23rd March 2009.
Churchills received an emergency call out request from the school who feared the chimney was in imminent danger of falling over, Churchills dispatched a three man team to site together with a mobile crane and successfully dismantled the chimney just in time to preventing it falling into classrooms below.
Once the chimney had been successfully dismantled Churchills then set about arranging for the manufacturer and installation of a temporary smaller chimney section to be fitted to the remaining base section of the chimney to ensure the school could continue to provide hot water and therefore remain open.
From receiving the emergency call all of the aforementioned work was safely completed within a 12 hour period.
This was possible due to Churchills possessing in house Crane Appointed Persons who were able to plan and manage the lifting operations with minimum notice coupled with our fabrication capacity.
These photographs depict the chimney in it's precarious position upon our arrival to site.
The importance of the inspection and maintenance of this type of insulated steel chimney has been recognised by the Health & Safety Executive who together with the steeplejack federation A.T.L.A.S have issued guidance notes detailing a thorough inspection criteria. Unfortunately whilst this particular chimney had been regularly inspected it would appear that the inspector had not completed the survey in accordance with the aforementioned recommendations.
Churchills received an emergency call out request from the school who feared the chimney was in imminent danger of falling over, Churchills dispatched a three man team to site together with a mobile crane and successfully dismantled the chimney just in time to preventing it falling into classrooms below.
Once the chimney had been successfully dismantled Churchills then set about arranging for the manufacturer and installation of a temporary smaller chimney section to be fitted to the remaining base section of the chimney to ensure the school could continue to provide hot water and therefore remain open.
From receiving the emergency call all of the aforementioned work was safely completed within a 12 hour period.
This was possible due to Churchills possessing in house Crane Appointed Persons who were able to plan and manage the lifting operations with minimum notice coupled with our fabrication capacity.
These photographs depict the chimney in it's precarious position upon our arrival to site.
The importance of the inspection and maintenance of this type of insulated steel chimney has been recognised by the Health & Safety Executive who together with the steeplejack federation A.T.L.A.S have issued guidance notes detailing a thorough inspection criteria. Unfortunately whilst this particular chimney had been regularly inspected it would appear that the inspector had not completed the survey in accordance with the aforementioned recommendations.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
SPECIALISTS IN HIGH RISE DEMOLITION & STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE
In 2004 Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd were awarded the contract to complete the external refurbishment of a115m tall concrete cooling tower at Ratcliffe On Soar Power station.
Following the successful completion of the contract that saw Churchills provide, install and maintain all motorised access cradles and complete the contract with no sub contract element the contract was extended for the following four year period to include 6 of the 8no cooling towers at Ratcliffe on Soar.
Each cooling tower project involved up to 12 operatives working on a tower at any one time from the motorised access platforms suspended from the summit of the tower
One of the biggest challenges faced was how to ensure safe access and egress for all operatives working on the tower together with ensuring systems for effectively rescuing and recovering operatives within a twelve minute period from any position on the tower were in place at all times. This was successfully achieved via the deployment of a full time rope access team positioned on the scaffold at the summit of the tower.
Over 56000 man hours were engaged and in excess of 5000 temporary anchor locations were installed to complete the six towers, all being completed within program, within budget and most importantly without incident.
Suspended Access Platforms in operation
Following the successful completion of the contract that saw Churchills provide, install and maintain all motorised access cradles and complete the contract with no sub contract element the contract was extended for the following four year period to include 6 of the 8no cooling towers at Ratcliffe on Soar.
Each cooling tower project involved up to 12 operatives working on a tower at any one time from the motorised access platforms suspended from the summit of the tower
One of the biggest challenges faced was how to ensure safe access and egress for all operatives working on the tower together with ensuring systems for effectively rescuing and recovering operatives within a twelve minute period from any position on the tower were in place at all times. This was successfully achieved via the deployment of a full time rope access team positioned on the scaffold at the summit of the tower.
Over 56000 man hours were engaged and in excess of 5000 temporary anchor locations were installed to complete the six towers, all being completed within program, within budget and most importantly without incident.
Suspended Access Platforms in operation
Friday, 16 January 2009
Pectel Group in Administration
The Pectel Group formed in 1982 entered into administration 12th December 2008 becoming Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd largest debtor since the formation of the company in 1994.
On the day Churchills completed extensive decommissioning work to the disused 45m concrete boiler chimney at the University Hospital Birmingham administrators Zolfo Cooper of Manchester were called in.
Formed in 1982 as an asbestos removal firm the growth of the Pectel Group saw them include no fewer than 12 Limited companies at the time they entered into administration with over 250 employees nationwide.
On the day Churchills completed extensive decommissioning work to the disused 45m concrete boiler chimney at the University Hospital Birmingham administrators Zolfo Cooper of Manchester were called in.
Formed in 1982 as an asbestos removal firm the growth of the Pectel Group saw them include no fewer than 12 Limited companies at the time they entered into administration with over 250 employees nationwide.
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